Vertical push-button ashtray



Oct. 27, 1964 Filed April 18, 1962 G. REUGE VERTICAL PUSH-BUTTON ASHTRAY2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 27, 1964 G. REUGE VERTICAL PUSH-BUTTON ASHTRAY 2Sheecs-SheerI 2 Filed April 18. 1962 United States Patent O Claims Thesubject of the present invention is a vertical pushbutton ashtraywherein a helicoidaliy-threaded pin is actuated by the push-button torotate a disc-shaped lid, assembled on the end of said pin by a freewheel, inside a receptacle designed to receive the ashes, the Whole seton a base containing a spring music-box.

This ashtray is characterized in that it comprises a vertical plungercoaxial to the push-button pin and having, at the end located in thebase, means cooperating with a mechanism winding the spring of themusic-box.

The attached drawing shows, by way of example, four embodiments of theashtray forming the subject of the present invention.

FIGURE 1 is a partially-sectional side elevation of the rst embodiment.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a detail of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view of the second embodiment similar to that of FIG. 1.

FGURES 4 and 5 are views similar to that of FiG. 1, of the third andfourth embodiments.

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view of a detail of another embodiment.

The ashtray shown is of the type having a vertical pushbutton ll with ahelicoidally-threaded pin 2 controlled by the push-button to rotate adisc-shaped cover 3 assembled on the end of pin 2 by a :freewheelmechanism in known manner as shown in detail in FIG. 2. Lid 3 covers areceptacle 4 designed to receive the ashes. A subjacent base 5 enclosesa spring music-box generally, indicated at 6. A cylindrical casingencircles receptacle 4i and base 5.

A member iixed to the end of pin 2 of push-button i extends through disc3 and is used to actuate a plunger 8 to wind up music-box 6 as will bedescribed further on. This member iixed to pin 2 is made up of a tappedsocket 9 screwed to the threaded end itl of pin Z and having a head 11protruding below disc 3. This head socket is independent of disc 5 sothat when the latter receives a rotation movement from pin 2 via theknown freewheel mechanism, head ill remains stationary with respect todisc 3 which turns. The freewheel mechanism comprises a cam 12cooperating with balls i3 inside a casing 14 lixed to disc 3 so as toblock the balls against the inside wall of the case when said cam l2turns in the direction which rotates the disc and to free the balls whenthis cam no longer turns, the disc then being free.

The lower portion of plunger 8 is equipped with a rack 15 meshing with agearwheel i6 of the spring-winding mechanism of music-box 6. Thisgearwheel i6 is clamped to the barrel axis of the spring in case 17. Abarrier section 18 is also attached to the spring axis and serves tolimit the rotation angle of wheel 16 by butting against a pin i9. Thisrotation 4angle corresponds to a piece of music, i.e. to one turn of thepin drum 6 of music-box 6.

A spring blade 20 is attached to the bottom or receptacle 4 and its bentfree end leans against plunger 8 to cooperate with a slot 21.

The described embodiment works as follows:

By pushing down the push-button l, the threaded pin 2 is rotated inknown manner, which pin rotates by means of said freewheel mechanism thedisc 3. During pushing, the plunger 8 is forced down by means of thehead il of ICC socket 9, whereby substantially no friction occursbetween head 11 and the end of plunger 8.

Rack 15 then rotates wheel 16 and simultaneously the barrier section i3until an edge of this section butts against pin 19, as shown in FIG. l.By releasing pushbutton ll, lid 3 is moved back to its closed positionby a retracting spring (not shown) and plunger 8 rises again as themusic plays, drawn by gearwheel 16.

While moving towards the bottom of plunger 8, slot 2l passes under theend of spring 20 at a given time which causes braking. The music-boxspring is not yet completely wound up to play a tune and if push-button1 is not pressed further down, plunger 3 could be kept in this positionby spring Ztl. This arrangement permits the ashtray to be used withoutactuating the music-box each time.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, head 11 acts on a plunger t5 whoseend located in base 5 is linked to a lever winding the music-box springby means of a link 23. By pressing push-button l of the ashtray, head 1ipresses plunger it which, in going down, moves lever 22 from thestraight-line position to the dotted-line position, winding up and thusreleasing the music-box which plays until lever Z2 has come back in itsoriginal position.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, casing 7 has an aperture 23' through whichappears a drum 24 rotatably mounted on a vertical axis and driven bymeans of gearing 25 from a gearwheel 26 clamped to shaft 27 of roller 6.Drum 24 may be transparent and may be decorated with pictures,ornamental designs or commercial advertisements, a source of light, forexample, being inside this drum. The other members are the same as thoseof the embodiment of FIG. 1.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, base 5 is made up of a drum surroundingreceptacle i of the ashtray. There are pictures, ornamental designs orcommercial advertisements on the exterior surface of this drum 5 whichis assembled in a casing 29 equipped with an aperture Sii allowing thusexterior surface to be seen. Casing 29 has legs 3i and holds receptacle4 in its upper portion, as well as the pushbutton mechanism of theashtray. Instead of being Aassembled in a casing, the receptacle couldbe supported by small pillars which would permit all of the drum to beseen. The receptacle could also be supported by a transparent cylinder.

The music-box is attached to receptacle 4', inside said drum 5 thebottom of which carries a pinion 32 engaged with a gear-train driven bygearwheel 33 xed to the shaft of rollers 6. When the music-box is inoperation, it rotates drum 5 by means of the above-described gears.

In the modification shown in FIG. 6, the music-box is assembled at thebottom of base 5 with the axis of roller 6 vertical. In this case, rackl5 of plunger 8 meshes with a pinion 34 fastened directly to axis 35 ofthe barrel.

The motor spring could also be in 6' and the barrel would not benecessary.

Instead of actuating the plunger with the aid of a member fixed to thepush-button pin, independent of the disc 3, such as head il, the plungercould have at least one rotatable portion such as a ball against whichthe central portion of the rotatable disc would press, for example thehub of the disc or the top of case 14. The plunger could also berotatably assembled, for example, on ball-bearings. This arrangementwould have the same purpose as that described previously, i.e. toeliminate friction between the push-button and the device controllingthe winding mechanism of the music-box.

What I claim is:

1. An ashtray comprising a vertical push-button, a helicoidally-threadedspindle actuated by said push-button, a disc-shaped lid mounted on saidspindle through a freew'neel mechanism, a receptacle for ashes whereinsaid lid and said mechanism are positioned, a base upon which al1 ofsaid elements are mounted, a spring-actuated musicbox having a Windingmechanism located in said base, and a vertical slidable plunger coaxialto said spindle, said plunger having an end extending into said base andcooperating with said Winding mechanism, said spindle being providedwith a threaded end, a socket on said threaded end extending throughsaid lid, which socket has a head engaging and actuating said plungerwithout friction, said plunger being provided with a slot, a leaf-springhaving a free end located in said slot to hold said plunger in apredetermined position whereby said musicbox does not play.

2. An ashtray as set forth in claim 1, wherein said music box isarranged vertically in said base, parallel to said plunger.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSJuillerat Dec. 28, 1886 Kent Feb. 11, 1913 Brutting Oct. 15, 1957Botnick Nov. 19, 1957 Reuge Nov. 8, 1960 Faulkner Dec. 20, 1960 FOREIGNPATENTS Germany Apr. 10, 1958 Switzerland Mar. 14, 1959 Great BritainFeb. 13, 1957

1. AN ASHTRAY COMPRISING A VERTICAL PUSH-BUTTON, A HELICOIDALLY-THREADEDSPINDLE ACTUATED BY SAID PUSH-BUTTON, A DISC-SHAPED LID MOUNTED ON SAIDSPINDLE THROUGH A FREEWHEEL MECHANISM, A RECEPTACLE FOR ASHES WHEREINSAID LID AND SAID MECHANISM ARE POSITIONED, A BASE UPON WHICH ALL OFSAID ELEMENTS ARE MOUNTED, A SPRING-ACTUATED MUSICBOX HAVING A WINDINGMECHANISM LOCATED IN SAID BASE, AND A VERTICAL SLIDABLE PLUNGER COAXIALTO SAID SPINDLE, SAID PLUNGER HAVING AN END EXTENDING INTO SAID BASE ANDCOOPERATING WITH SAID WINDING MECHANISM, SAID SPINDLE BEING PROVIDEDWITH A THREADED END, A SOCKET ON SAID THREADED END EXTENDING THROUGHSAID LID, WHICH SOCKET HAS A HEAD ENGAGING AND ACTUATING SAID PLUNGERWITHOUT FRICTION, SAID PLUNGER BEING PROVIDED WITH A SLOT, A LEAF-SPRINGHAVING A FREE END LOCATED IN SAID SLOT TO HOLD SAID PLUNGER IN APREDETERMINED POSITION WHEREBY SAID MUSICBOX DOES NOT PLAY.